Blog - What's New at Dick Simon Yachts?

Here's the situation: you're the owners of a company that built a sailboat picked by Fortune magazine as the best in America. You've sold the company and, because of a non-compete clause, you can't build sailboats, but you've always liked fishing. What do you do? If you're partners Henry Mohrschladt and Mike Howarth, you decide to build the best sportfishing boat in the world. You look at what's available, bring in top saltwater fishermen as consultants, pull together a skilled crew of builders, and create the Cabo 35, a boat some companies might want to study as a model for how a boat ought to be built.

A few months ago Marquis Yachts introduced a sport bridge version of its well received Marquis 500. We took a scenic cruise onboard the yacht this winter and found out it is possible to combine looks and the conveniences of a fly bridge On a 50-footer. The Marquis 500 Sport Coupe made its debut at the Yacht & Brokerage Show in Miami Beach in 2008. The European-styled yacht features streamlined lines with curves just where you'd want them to be, wide expanses of glass, a stylish interior and a sun roof, one of several similarities with a stylish roadster.

Marquis Yachts' 500 Sport Bridge takes excitement to a whole new level... Just when you thought Marquis' 50 couldn't get any sexier, along comes the 500 Sport Bridge-a sleek, high-performance flybridge yacht-based on last year's 500 Sport Coupe (see Southern Boating July 2008). Building on the success of its stylish 50-foot coupe, Marquis takes the cruiser to new heights with a design that satisfies the boat owner who enjoys operating and entertaining in the elements.

Written by Roger Kamholz | Photography courtesy of Peter Walton Far-flung New Zealanders aboard a Meridian 459 complete a Northern Hemisphere classic: America’s Great Loop. This photo essay tells the story. The Great Loop, perhaps the most storied American boating journey, takes passengers on a far-reaching tour of lakes and waterways as they circle the eastern U.S., skirt the Gulf of Mexico and graze southern Canada. For the past year, those waters were a second home to Peter and Lyn Walton of Auckland, New Zealand. The couple completed the Loop—with stops in the Bahamas for relaxation—aboard their brand new 459, purchased from MarineMax Cape Haze, in Florida. After their unforgettable trip, the Waltons recently shipped the yacht to Auckland, where they continue to explore new and familiar waters alike.

The Marquis 500 Sport Bridge melds the best of European design and American craftsmanship... The boat's sweeping curves, low radar arch and even the forward-bent stainless-steel stanchions of the bow rail were clearly European design traits, but it was the yacht's overall visual appeal that left little doubt in my mind of its origin. There was the slight break in the sheer line near the bridge, the angled cabin sides, the reverse transom and even the unusual engine vents. Looking at the new Marquis 500 Sport Bridge, my eyes never seemed to rest in one place. It seemed a stunning example of Italian yacht art. Yet this Marquis 500 Sport Bridge was built in Pulaski, Wisconsin.

One of the sweetest, most luxurious express cruisers on the market today... The queen of the Sea Ray’s Sundancer line is its sleek and sporty 48-footer with a trademark drop bow and long, sweeping reverse sheer. This is a yacht that will appeal to many, though perhaps mostly to successful Baby Boomers—people who have worked hard, made some money and now want to enjoy the fruits of their labors with a showy, comfortable high-end yacht they can share with friends and family. The 48 Sundancer is also a great party boat, with a huge cockpit/helm area and a single-level interior that is well suited to entertaining. The cozy, plush and spacious interior and heated, covered helm area with standard canvas back indicate that this is more than a Florida fun-in-the-sun yacht. Founded in 1959, Knoxville, Tennessee-based Sea Ray is part of the Brunswick Corporation, which also owns Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Hatteras, Maxum, Meridian and many other lines of popular recreational craft.

Red Jacket, blue blood... If you’re like me, you’re wearing shredded deck shoes and a boat show T-shirt and think you’re all that— and a bag of chips. Well, that’s only if your boat looks good. Stand at the helm of Sea Ray’s new 55 Sundancer, and no one will question your attire. Beneath its arctic white gel coat and vinylester resin, the 55 Sundancer is built and equipped to make even serious wrench-heads smile. Of course, a couple of things earned a frown. The mast light should be hinged, which would let it fold down and decrease bridge clearance by nearly a foot.

Since retiring from the excavation business, hardworking, responsible Charlie Pence of Avon, Indiana has set out to “live the dream” on his third Jefferson Yacht, a 60’ Marquessa. Currently planning his second winter on board Destination Unknown, Pence now embraces a more nomadic lifestyle. Cruising at an unhurried pace, the 67-year-old wanderer foresees another wonderful winter spent cruising from Green Turtle Bay on Barkley Lake in Kentucky to Florida’s Key West and back. “I have always had the dream to get on a boat and travel from marina to marina and stay where I wanted for a day or for a month,” said Pence. “This will be the first year I haven’t had to hurry back.

MY old delivery partner had a passion for sportfishing boats. Whenever the chance came along to deliver one, he'd jump at it, usually by offering the owner a deal he couldn't refuse. We moved a lot of battlewagons over the years deep-V designs with wave-slicing entries and relatively narrow beams. Many of them rode bow-high with lousy forward visibility and, in any kind of sea, would pound our knees into our teeth. But that's the nature of the beast. All boats are trade-offs weight for range, low profile for interior acreage and sportfishermen are built to run out to the fishing grounds fast, with comfort and livability coming in a distant second.

I'd hoped for one big marlin, but five in three days? Boat testing can be a subjective game, simply because we testers don't have complete control over the test conditions. Whether it's caused by time constraints, weather conditions, or location, sometimes we have to draw on our own experiences, knowledge of hull design and gut instinct, to give readers an educated and informed report about a new boat. 

FRESH OUT OF THE BOX. Like many of you, I prefer a galley-down floor plan, such as the one on Sea Ray's 36 Sedan Bridge. Why? It clearly separates the dining, socializing, and food preparation areas. It creates privacy while retaining that together feeling. In a larger boat, galley-up may be the better choice, but in boats less than 45' long I believe having the galley down makes for a more dynamic and energetic social environment. And why else do you buy a bridge boat if not to better accommodate a crowd?

How do you build a cat with ocean-going potential for the price of a monohull of the same length? Duncan Kent sails the popular Gemini 105, which defies economic logic and continues to satisfy the demands of bluewater cruising families the world over. The Gemini 105 was designed by the well known racing skipper, Tony Smith, who started building multihulls way back in 1965. Later in his career, after launching his successful Telstar, he moved from the UK to the USA in 1980, launched Performance Cruising, and added the Gemini to his portfolio. Since then the design has incorporated numerous updates and modifications and recently evolved into the 105Mc. 

Cruising goes high style on Meridian's new 391 Sedan... Launching a new family -or couples- oriented sedan at a time when the market is rife with attractive cruising- capable designs from both sides of the Atlantic is a project not to be taken lightly. To succeed, the builders must ensure that the owners of this new yacht design must immediately feel comfortable in their new surroundings, at home with the spaces where they plan to spend time relaxing and reading, dining, listening and watching and enjoying the great outdoors. And this comfort must continue once the power cords have been disconnected and the docklines have been cast off. No one knows this better than the designers of Meridian Yachts, whose new 391 Sedan Bridge debuted late last year following careful collaboration with its customers and dealers. Based on my recent experiences with this and other Meridian yachts, the 391 may be its most livable, cruisable sedan to date.

A tug with a little panache... Whatever big waters boaters have faced, Nordic Tug has been providing sturdy and reliable vessels to take on the challenge for more than 25 years. The Nordic Tug 37 is no exception. This tug can eat up anything Canada’s coastlines or Great Lakes want to dish out. Just like its siblings, the 37 offers both practicality and style, while utilizing all the power and brawn of a traditional tug boat. On the smaller side of Nordic Tugs models, which range in size from 32 to 52 feet, the 37 boasts all the qualities upon which the company has built its reputation: performance, safety and reliability.

The first boat in the U.S. specifically designed for IPS... Tiara took a revolutionary step by equipping the 4300 Sovran with Volvo Penta's Inboard Performance System. This model was the first American boat to be designed from the keel up specifically for IPS drives. IPS is the innovative drive system that puts the horse before the cart, so to speak, by placing the propellers in front of the drive housing. The idea is to put the props in clean water, unaffected by turbulence from anything hanging off the bottom of the hull.

Meridian 341: A roomy and maneuverable sedan bridge that the whole crew will love... *TWIN 320-HP GASOLINE MERCRUISER HORIZON MX 6.2L MPI INBOARDS FOR TEST. TO VIEW SEA TRIAL FOR TWIN 240HP CUMMINS 4B-250 DIESEL INBOARDS , CLICK HERE* It's the smallest model in the builder's line of nine boats, but like its larger siblings, the all-new Meridian 341 was designed for this mission: To make cruising more enjoyable with areas that are more livable. Functional spaces. More comfort. These are the qualities you'll find on the latest sedan bridge from this popular American boat builder.

The Island Packet 445 delivers the solid comfort and ease of use that have become the hallmark of designs by Bob Johnson DISCUSSING THE ISLAND PACKET 445 during the 2005 Boat of the Year contest, judge Alvah Simon noted that designer Bob Joh nson has created an "almost cult like following" among buyers of his boats, who love his approach to creating solid, well-equipped cruising craft. No small reason for the company's success is Island Packet's exclusive stem-to-stern three-year limited warranty. Also, new boats are covered by 10-year limited warranties on the hand-laminated solid-fiberglass hull and the PolyCored deck.

Fishability meets civility... Contender boats are noted for showing up high in the standings in the big-money kingfish tournaments- and for good reason. They're light, fast, and tough. What they're not known for, however, is being family friendly. With the new 36 Fish Around, that could be changing. The interior of the boat looks a bit like a cross between a walkaround and a center console, but the sidedecks and foredecks are much deeper and broader than the norm. And unlike most walkarounds, this boat is eye candy, with sleek fairing on the cabin and console and a low-slung smoked Plexiglas windscreen. The design is functional, too. By bringing the sides of the console area well aft, a spray-proof mini-enclosure is created. There's still plenty of air circulating, but you're not going to get wet.

I could produce over a hundred reviews of Chuck Paine designs. A 40-footer that's being finished up for the Cabo Rico company is design number 112! Among all those rolls of blueprints, virtually every one is intriguing enough to warrant publication.

Built explicitly for Volvo Penta's revolutionary new IPS propulsion system, the Tiara Sovran 4300 is in a league of its own... I was psyched! I've probably tested a dozen new Tiara yachts over the years, but never with the degree of anticipation I felt as I arrived at Galati Yacht Sales in Destin, Florida, with Dave Walsh, Tiara's marketing director, to sea-trial the new Tiara Sovran 4300. My curiosity was intense because this boat had been built entirely around Volvo Penta's radically new Inboard Performance System (IPS)- a diesel propulsion package whose drives mount beneath the boat, rather than on its transom, and whose four Duoprop propellers face forward rather than aft (See Motorboating, January). The concept is revolutionary, I was about to witness the application.